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DBA Scholars Conference

Introduction

Kingston, RI, 2-4 Oct 2026; Deadline 27 Apr

POSTING TYPE: Calls: Conferences

Posted by: Jessica Strübel

2026 Call for Research Paper and Professional Development Workshop Submissions

Thinking Big: Doctoral Insights for a Changing Business Landscape

Conference Organizers: Jessica Strübel and Emilija Djurdjevic, University of Rhode Island
Program and Professional Development Workshops Chair: Jessica Strubel, URI
Research Paper Development Workshops Chair: Emilija Djurdjevic, URI

We welcome submissions for inclusion in the inaugural Annual DBA Scholars Conference (DBASC 2026), focused on business research with practical implications, hosted on the Kingston campus at the University of Rhode Island, October 2 – 4, 2026.

Submission Timeline

  • March 2, 2026 – Submission portal opens
  • April 27, 2026 10 PM EST – Submission deadline
  • June 1, 2026 – Paper acceptance notifications
  • June 1, 2026 – Research Paper Development Workshop acceptance notifications
  • June 1, 2026 – Professional Development Workshop acceptance notifications
  • June 15, 2026 – Early Bird Registration Deadline ($300)
  • July 1, 2026 – Registration Deadline ($350)
  • Early August 2026 – Online Program available

ÌýConference Details

All program sessions will be held at the University of Rhode Island, with some special events at other venues in the state of Rhode Island. The conference schedule will start with a Welcome Event on Friday, October 2, 2026. Paper Presentations, Research Paper Development Workshops, Professional Development Workshops, and special events will take place Saturday, October 3, 2026. The conference will conclude Sunday, October 4, 2026 with a Plenary Session including recognition of award winners.

The top 10% of submissions will be published in the DBASC 2026 Proceedings, and this scholarly publication will be included in the official, published record of DBASC 2026.

Submission Information

Paper Presentation Submissions

A paper refers to a manuscript on a scholarly topic that has not been published. Papers will undergo a double-blind review process. Accepted papers will be grouped into paper sessions by common themes. In a paper session, each author has a set amount of time to present their work. Group discussion including Q&A follows the presentations of all the papers in a paper session.

Research Paper Development Workshop Submissions

Ideal for research papers that are not fully developed and would benefit from guidance and expertise. These workshops will focus on providing authors with practical and developmental feedback aimed at strengthening and improving their papers in a roundtable format. Papers submitted for development workshops will undergo a double-blind review process.

Professional Development Workshop Submissions

Professional Development Workshops (PDWs) allow colleagues to share knowledge andÌýexpertise and foster the professional development of workshop participants. It is an opportunity to develop innovative and creative workshops that will benefit Scholar-Practitioners. PDW session formats can vary but should be a minimum of 1-hour in duration. These will not undergo a blind review process.

Submission Guidelines

Papers

  1. Papers can be a maximum length 20 pages (including title page and all figures, graphs, tables, appendices, and references) and should conform to the following:
    1. Use Times New Roman 12-point font, double spaced
    2. References may be single spaced
    3. To facilitate the blind review process, remove ALL author-identifying information from the uploaded document.
      1. Note: You will still include ALL authors associated with your submission during the submission process, but not in your uploaded paper. The author information provided will appear in the online program.
    4. The entire paper submission (title page in Title Case, abstract, main text, figures, graphs, tables, references, etc.) must be in one document using one of the following formats:
      1. Portable Document Format (.pdf)
      2. Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx)
    5. The entire document, including figures, graphs, tables, appendices, and references should follow APA guidelines
    6. Number the pages of the document

ÌýProfessional Development Workshops (PDWs)

  1. PDW proposals must be a minimum of 3 pages and must include and be organized in the following order:
    1. Page 1: Title page which contains:
      1. Title of the workshop (in Title Case)
      2. 250-word abstract of the workshop
      3. Names of workshop organizers and participants
    2. Page 2: Workshop details
      1. Explanation of the workshop and why it is of interest to DBA Practitioner-Scholars
    3. Page 3: Workshop format
      1. Description and overview of the workshop
  2. PDW proposals should use the following page format:
    1. Times New Roman 12-point font
    2. Double spaced
    3. The entire submission must be in ONE document created in Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx) or Adobe Portable Document Format (.pdf)

Submission Process

To submit a Paper (to present or for a Paper Development Workshop) or PDW proposal, .

  1. Create a Digital Commons account (if you do not have one)
  2. Go to Author Corner on Digital Commons
  3. Click “Submitâ€
  4. Enter the title for your submission under “Event Titleâ€
  5. Enter names and affiliations of all involved in the submission
  6. Select all keywords that apply for your submission
  7. Enter additional keywords (optional)
  8. Enter the abstract (not to exceed 100 words) of your submission
  9. Select submission type (i.e., Paper for Presentation, Paper for Research Paper Development Workshop, Professional Development Workshop) under “Document Typeâ€
  10. Self -nominate for Awards (i.e., Best Paper Overall, Paper with Best Practical Implications, Most Innovative Paper)
  11. Upload your submission (as a .doc or .pdf)

If you have any questions or run into any issues, please contact Jessica Strübel (jessica-strubel@uri.edu)Ìý or Emilija Djurdjevic (edjurdjevic@uri.edu).

ÌýCall for Reviewers

We are recruiting reviewers for DBASC 2026. If you are submitting your work for review, we encourage you to , and indicate your area(s) of expertise and interest. There are a number of benefits of reviewing, including:

  • Reviewing gives you an opportunity to have a voice in the program planning process.
  • Reviewing is a way to give back to your professional community.
  • Reviewing is a way to learn about what constitutes excellent and interesting work.
  • Reviewing provides insight into what peers are working on.
  • Add Reviewer to your CV or resume.

To sign up as a reviewer, please . Please note that you may be asked to review up to 3 submissions. You will be asked to select keywords/subject areas. Keywords will be used to assign papers and PDW proposals that most closely match your interests and expertise.

As a reviewer, you will be required to complete your review assignments between April 29, 2026 and May 29, 2026, so please plan your time accordingly. We thank you in advance for the service you are willing to offer as a reviewer. Please note that Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may NOT be used as a resource in reviewing submissions.

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

Submissions

Question: What is the maximum number of submissions one individual is permitted?
Answer: Each individual may have a maximum of 3 submissions.

Question: Is it necessary for a Paper Presentation or Research Paper Development Workshop submission to be empirical?
Answer: No, papers without data may be submitted.

Question: How will paper submissions be evaluated?
Answer: Submissions will be evaluated based on practical/applied implications, interest to the audience, methodological soundness, and clarity of writing.

Registration

Question: How much is the registration fee?
Answer: The early bird registration (by June 15, 2026) fee is $300. The regular registration (by July 1, 2026) fee is $350.

Question: What is included with registration?
Answer: Registration provides access to all conference events, breakfast on Saturday and Sunday mornings, refreshments throughout the conference, and limited shuttle service.

Question: How do I register?
Answer: You will register via the .

Proceedings

Question: When will Proceedings be published?
Answer: Proceedings will be published October, 2026.